Pensioners from several private and public sector insurance funds gathered on Thursday morning at Kotzia Square in Athens and Aristotelous Square in Thessaloniki to protest the austerity measures especially in the health sector.

Several hundreds aging men and women marched to Health Ministry holding banners and shouting slogans against the emergency taxes, the bad health care services, the pension cuts and the lowering of tax-free income.

However, the protests concluded very quickly due to the heat wave, the high humidity and the smog that have gripped the Greek cities> with temperatures very slightly below 42 degrees Celsius, some pensioners did not feel well and ambulances were called to assist them with first aid. (source: ProtoThema, in.gr)